Local athletes and teams continue to set the bar with plenty of challenges to come.

Here's a glimpse:

Boys' basketball

The cream is rising to the top on the hardwood and so far on the boys' side, Falmouth is leading the way. Never was that more obvious than last Thursday when the Yachtsmen dominated visiting York in a battle of unbeatens, 71-51 (see theforecaster.net for game story). Grant Burfeind had 22 points, Jack Simonds added 16, while Charlie Fay added 14, including a pair of resounding dunks.

"We definitely weren't expecting this, but it feels really good to get this win," Burfeind said. "We hadn't seen any film on them, so we didn't know what to expect. We got used to them in the first quarter and after that, we took away their game and played ours."

"We're a good team," added longtime Falmouth coach Dave Halligan, in the understatement of the new year. "(York's) an excellent team. One of the best. The kids played very well tonight. I was very pleased."

The Yachtsmen then improved to 8-0 (and first in the Western Class B Heal Points standings) with a 66-25 home win over Freeport Saturday (Burfeind had 12 points and Simonds added 10). Falmouth was at Gray-New Gloucester Tuesday, welcomes Lake Region Friday, then has a test at Greely Tuesday of next week before hosting rival Cape Elizabeth Jan. 18.

Greely is overcoming a slow start and opened 2013 with wins at Lake Region (56-40) and at home over defending Class B state champion Yarmouth (58-44, thanks in large part to 26 points from Bailey Train) to improve to 5-3 and fifth in Western B. The Rangers hosted Traip Tuesday, go to Freeport Friday, then host Falmouth and go to York next week.

Yarmouth opened the new year with a 77-30 home win over Freeport, but fell to 4-4 Saturday with a 58-44 loss at Greely (despite 21 points from David Murphy). The Clippers (13th in Western B) were at Poland Tuesday, host Cape Elizabeth Friday and Waynflete Tuesday of next week.

Freeport fell to 1-6 (17th in Western B) after losses at Yarmouth (77-30) and Falmouth (66-25, despite 13 points from Jack Davenport). The Falcons were home with Fryeburg Tuesday, host Greely Friday and go to Lake Region Wednesday of next week.

North Yarmouth Academy opened 2013 with a 53-50 victory over visiting A.R. Gould Friday. Chase Gendron led the way with 19 points. Monday, it won at Richmond, 55-32, as Bill Paxton had 14 points. The Panthers (3-5 and 12th in Western C) hosted Pine Tree Academy Wednesday, go to Hyde Friday and host Gray-New Gloucester Wednesday of next week.

Girls' basketball

On the girls' side, Greely has been very impressive and earned its biggest win to date last Thursday when it held off visiting defending regional champion Lake Region, 38-33, as Ashley Storey had 12 points. The Rangers then improved to 7-1 Saturday with a 68-29 home win over Yarmouth (Jackie Storey had a game-high 21 points). Greely (fifth in the Western B Heals) went to Traip Tuesday, has a key home showdown with up-and-coming Freeport Friday and goes to Falmouth and hosts York next week.

Speaking of Freeport, the Falcons opened 2013 with wins at Yarmouth (69-31) and at home over Falmouth (39-38, Nina Davenport had 15 points, including the go-ahead basket) as they improved to 4-3 and ninth in Western B. Freeport was at Fryeburg Tuesday, goes to Greely Friday and hosts Lake Region Tuesday of next week.

Falmouth is 4-4 and 11th after losses at York (55-37) and Freeport (39-38, despite 22 points from Anna Hickey). The Yachtsmen were home with Gray-New Gloucester Tuesday, then go to Lake Region Friday and host Greely Tuesday of next week.

Yarmouth is still seeking its first win. The Clippers, who have been hampered by injuries and a small roster, opened 2013 with a 69-31 home loss to Freeport, then fell at Greely, 68-29, despite 10 points from Grace O'Donnell. Yarmouth (18th in Western B) hosted Poland Tuesday, goes to Cape Elizabeth Friday and plays at Western C power Waynflete Tuesday of next week.

In Western C, NYA got in the win column in its 2013 opener, 46-27, over visiting Hebron, as Mallory Ianno had 19 points and Chloe Leishman added 18. The Panthers (1-5 and 16th in the Heals) were home with Pine Tree Academy Wednesday, welcome Hyde Friday and play at Gray-New Gloucester Wednesday of next week.

Boys' hockey

Action is picking up on the ice as well.

The new year hasn't been kind to defending Class B state champion Greely, which lost to Falmouth in the Dudley Cup on New Year's Day, 3-1, then at home to Class A power Lewiston Saturday, 4-2. The Rangers (4-2 and second to Camden Hills in the Heals) host York Thursday (see theforecaster.net for game story), go to Gardiner Saturday and visit Leavitt Wednesday of next week.

Yarmouth entered the week still seeking its first win. After a 3-0 home loss to Cheverus and a 4-1 setback to Maranacook last week, the Clippers fell to 0-5-2 and seventh in the region. Yarmouth hosted Cape Elizabeth Tuesday and visit the Capers Saturday.

The Western Class B Coaches' Association recently selected its December Players of the Month. Greely senior Kyle Megathlin was named Defenseman of the Month after scoring four goals and adding five assists. Freshman teammate Jarod Lavallee was named Rookie of the Month (along with Camden Hills' Jet Magri). Lavallee had three goals and an assist and had the winning goal against two-time defending Class A state champion Thornton Academy. Yarmouth senior Red DeSmith was named Goaltender of the Month (along with Leavitt's Nick Allen). DeSmith had a goals against average of 2.6 and had a save percentage of .920.

In Western A, Falmouth is running second to Scarborough in the standings after beating visiting Greely (3-1), visiting Lewiston (3-1) and host Bangor (3-2) to start the year. The Yachtsmen go to Portland Thursday and host Kennebunk Saturday.

Girls' hockey

On the girls' side, Greely is 7-2-1 and third behind Lewiston and Leavitt/EL in the East Region heals after opening 2013 with a 12-0 home win over Cheverus Saturday. The Rangers went to Lewiston Wednesday, visit York Saturday and host St. Dom's Wednesday of next week.

Yarmouth opened 2013 with a 5-1 home loss to Brunswick, then won at Portland Saturday, 4-2. The Clippers (4-7-1 and fourth in the east) host Leavitt Saturday and go to Winslow Wednesday of next week.

Falmouth is up to third in the West Region at 7-4 after last Thursday's 10-4 win at Cheverus. The Yachtsmen hosted Portland Wednesday and welcome Gorham/Bonny Eagle Saturday.

Indoor track

The Western Maine Conference opened its league indoor track schedule Friday at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham.

In the first meet, Greely's girls held off Falmouth and six other teams for first place. Yarmouth came in fourth and Freeport was fifth. The Rangers saw Kirstin Sandreuter win both the 800 (2 minutes, 33.28 seconds) and the mile (5:38.43). The Clippers also had a multiple event winner, as Emma Egan won the junior high jump (5 feet) and the junior 400 (1:05.45).

On the boys' side, Falmouth was runner-up to York, Greely came in third, Yarmouth placed fourth and Freeport was sixth. The Yachtsmen had a double winner in Jacob Buhelt (who won the senior 55, 6.84 seconds, and the senior 200, 23.96). The Rangers were led by Connor Wyman (who won both the junior 55, 7.46, and the junior 200, 26.1). The Clippers also had a double winner in Ben Decker, who captured the mile (4:38.48) and two-mile (10:01.85).

NYA competed against seven other schools and was fifth in the boys' meet and sixth on the girls' side. Jake Burns won the boys' 55 hurdles (8.99). The girls got wins from Hannah Austin in the two-mile (13:01.26) and Muriel Adams in the junior shot put (25 feet, 1.25 inches).

Swimming

In the pool, the defending Class B state champion Greely boys opened the new year with wins over Falmouth (86-75) and Deering (51-43). The girls, also reigning champs, handled Falmouth (99.5-69.5), but lost to Deering (50.5-43.5). Greely is at Cheverus Friday.

Falmouth's girls bounced back to edge host Kennebunk, 93-86, while the boys dropped an 84-80 decision to the Rams. The Yachtsmen go to Deering Friday.

Skiing

The recent arrival of ample snowfall has bolstered the trails and slopes and local skiers have taken advantage.

The Alpine season opened Monday with giant slalom races at Shawnee Peak. Freeport joined Cape Elizabeth, Fryeburg and Gray-New Gloucester. Both Falcons teams placed second. Blake Enrico was sixth for the boys (with a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 6.31 seconds). The girls were paced by Julia Schneider (seventh, 1:16.24).

Falmouth, Greely and Yarmouth took part in a meet with Lake Region. In the boys' competition, the Clippers edged the Yachtsmen with the Rangers coming in third. Falmouth's Alex Gowen won the meet (58.39). Greely's Sam Purlmutter finished second (59.72) and Yarmouth was paced by third-place finisher Matt Highland (1:01.00). The Rangers dominated in the girls' race, as the Clippers came in second and the Yachtsmen were third. Individually, Greely's Elise Dinan was first (1:02.35). Teammate Kelsey Otley finished runner-up (1:05.33). Yarmouth was paced by Chapin Dorsett (third, 1:05.73). Falmouth's top finisher was Krysia Lesniak (sixth, 1:06.63).

On the Nordic side, the Telstar Relays were held Saturday. Merriconeag's team of two boys and two girls had the best combined time, as Graham Roeber, Emilie Chace-Donahue, Jack Pierce and Zoe Chace-Donahue had a time of 37 minutes, 50 seconds, 20 seconds better than runner-up Gould. Yarmouth's Carter Hall, Emma Torres, Jackson Hall and Lucy Alexander placed third (39:02).